Three more graves found at BDR HQ; Toll climbs to 77

Anger swept Bangladesh as three more graves with 10 bullet-riddled decomposed bodies, including that of slain BDR chief's wife, were uncovered today, taking the toll in the two-day mutiny to 77 amid fears that the casualty figure could be much higher.

The graves were found besides the garage of the 13th Rifles Battalion's office inside the BDR headquarters in Pilkhana in the heart of Dhaka, the scene of grisly killings during the uprising staged by armed renegade soldiers.

Among the 10 bodies retrieved this morning was that of BDR chief Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed's wife Nazneen, a fire brigade official said. There was no word on the fate of the couple's teenage son. Ahmed's mutilated body was found dumped in a drain along with that of 41 Army officers.

Television images of disfigured bodies being scooped out of the graves sent fresh shock waves across the country.

"We think there are more bodies. We have recovered 10 so far... They are badly decomposed and many are mutilated," Fire Service Operations chief Sheikh Mohammad Shahjalal said.

Bodies of 25 others, including three civilians, were also found from the premises and nearby in the last three days.

Intense search was on for over 60 army officers who remained missing.